Tales of love
by kirayasha aka kira
Summary: Three love stories about Bankotsu & Jakotsu. Written for LJ's Inuromp using their Creamy list of prompts, with a 300 word limit.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #1 New  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part one: Falling in love…

1. New…

Bankotsu shyly looked over at his new traveling companion. Jakotsu looked liked a girl and he acted like one, the way he primped and painted his lips. It reminded the younger boy painfully of his older sisters and home. Heaving a heavy sigh, Bankotsu quickly looked away.

"You okay?"

"Yeah…"

"You sure, Aniki-chan?"

"Yeah," Bankotsu repeated a bit more forcefully much to the cross-dresser's amusement. "What's so funny?"

"You…" Jakotsu giggled.

Irritated, the younger boy got angry, pinning his companion to the ground as he straddled his hips.

"You wanna nookie?" the cross-dresser asked. He licked his lips.

"What?!" Bankotsu cried, some of his anger dissipating by the odd request. Nookie seemed to be the older boy's answer to everything, not the fourteen year old minded, but their relationship was still new, especially the idea of being friends as well as lovers.

Looking down into Jakotsu's face, he could see it in his eyes that this was just as new and confusing to the former bathhouse whore as it was to him. "Ummm… no."

"Oh…"

"It's not you, or the nookie, it's just that it's weird having someone around all the time." _Especially someone who always wants to nookie…_ "Don't cry!" Bankotsu groaned.

"Can't help it…" Jakotsu sniffed. _Having my freedom is new and very scary…_

"I'm used to being on my own." _And all these new feelings I get when I'm near you are really confusing and I get angry…_

"You want to leave me…?"

"No!! I'm just having trouble with all these, ummm…"

"What?"

"New feelings…" Bankotsu blushed.

"Me too…" Jakotsu reached up and cupped his cheek.

"So I think I want to be alone to figure them out." Bankotsu stood up.

"But I thought you didn't want to leave me…"

"I don't..."

"Then go…"Jakotsu said sadly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #2 taste  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance, angst  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part one: Falling in love…

2. Taste…

Jakotsu remained were Bankotsu left him; his newfound taste of freedom a bitter one. The younger boy had left him to wander the streets of the village while he sorted his feelings out, and the cross-dresser was afraid that was going to be the last he saw of him. That thought was a frightening one as it conjured up visions of working in another bathhouse if he was lucky, if not, a rice paddy.

Hugging himself as a single tear slid down his cheek, Jakotsu had no idea what he did to upset his new friend. Bankotsu said liked all the nookie and he didn't mind doing things to him either, in fact he often asked to be shown more. He soon had himself convinced the younger boy was gone for good. Miserable, he lay on the tatami mat, crying his heart out. He felt lost and more alone than he had ever had in his life. Bankotsu found him like that an hour later, red-eyed and hiccupping from his crying jag.

"You okay?"

Jakotsu sat up and blinked. "You're back…"

"Yeah…"

"And…?"

"I ummm…"

Jakotsu felt his eyes welling up with tears again. "Will you kiss me goodbye, really kiss me, so I can remember how you taste?" he said softly as he looked away.

"Who said I was going anywhere?"

"Aren't you?" Jakotsu blinked. "But you said you wanted to sort out your feelings…"

"And I did, and I figured I'd miss you to much." The younger boy felt his cheeks heating up.

"I'm glad you did, because I'd miss you too…"

"Yeah…?"

"Yup! You have no idea how worried I was you wouldn't come back."

Bankotsu grinned. "I kinda guessed by how upset you looked when I came back."

"Oh…"

"I need you…" Bankotsu said, holding him tight.


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #3 fragile  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance, angst  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part one: Falling in love…

3. Fragile…

Bankotsu held the cross-dresser close as he had started crying again. He hated the way Jakotsu's emotional outburst reminded of his older sister Fumiko. He remembered she was devastated by the loss of her betrothed to the point of endlessly crying until she decided to become a Buddhist nun. The last thing he wanted to deal with was an emotionally fragile friend, while feeling homesick. And when Bankotsu thought about it, the cross-dresser's life was just as sheltered as his beloved sister's, and instead of letting him retreat from life, the fourteen year old decided he was going to make Jakotsu live his life to the fullest. Unfortunately, he had no idea how to make that a reality for now.

The younger boy simply sat there, holding on to what was beginning to become an important part of his young life. Right now it felt like he had a tenuous hold on things. He liked Jakotsu a lot, as he was fun to be with and his novel way of easing the pain of loneliness, especially at night, was entertaining to say the least. But sometimes the way he felt about the cross-dresser left him feeling rather confused.

Jakotsu clung to the younger boy, afraid to let go for fear of him leaving again. He was having a hard time sorting his feelings out as well. While a part of him dreaded the thought of surviving on his own, another insisted that was because Bankotsu was like no one he had ever met before. And the desire he felt for him was much more intense than he had ever experienced too. He wondered if this was really love or simply lust for the boy who held him like he was made of fragile porcelain. And if Bankotsu felt it too…


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #4 risk  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part one: Falling in love…

4. Risk…

Jakotsu pulled away from Bankotsu and sat up. Feeling better, he wiped his tear-stained face with the back of his hands as an awkward silence settled between them. He was still afraid, but he decided he liked the younger boy too much to let fear get in the way of things. Taking a deep breath and, slowly letting it out, the cross-dresser decided to take a risk. Placing his hands on the younger boy's thighs, Jakotsu leaned into him, kissing him long and hard.

It worked.

Bankotsu cupped the older boy's cheeks as he responded in kind, their tongues eagerly exploring the other's mouth. Without realizing it, Bankotsu had Jakotsu lying flat on his back with his kimono opened, exposing his body.

Giggling, Jakotsu said, "You like what you see, Aniki-chan?"

The fourteen year old nodded dumbly at him in reply.

"Then show me how much you like it," he purred.

Bankotsu eagerly showed him, starting with a line of butterfly soft kisses that trailed down the cross-dresser's jaw line to his collar bone. The fourteen year old took his time, savoring the salty taste of the old boy's skin and the sweet scent of the perfume he wore. He went lower, moving his way down the smooth planes of the cross-dresser's stomach, to nestle between Jakotsu's legs as he spread them. Taking the older boy's semi-flaccid penis in his mouth, Bankotsu sucked on it. He would occasionally pull away to lick up and down the length of Jakotsu's growing erection, but something felt wrong. Despite initiating the nookie, the cross-dresser seemed distant, although his body responded to Bankotsu's ministrations. Confused, the fourteen year old stopped what he was doing and looked up.

"Are you okay?"

Jakotsu shrugged. Hiking himself up on his elbows, he said softly, "I don't know…"


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #5 awash  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part one: Falling in love…

5. Awash…

Bankotsu was momentarily taken aback by the older boy's statement. He sat up and back on his heels. Frowning, he tried to make sense of things.

"It's not you, Aniki-chan," the seventeen year old soothed. "It's me…" Jakotsu felt awash in conflicting emotion.

"Hunh? You sure I didn't bite you or something…"

Jakotsu sighed. A tiny smile tugged the corners of his lips upwards and Bankotsu was relieved to see it reach his eyes. "You were really good that time." He pushed back until he was also sitting up. "I think I got afraid… it made me feel kinda funny, like I was back in the bathhouse and all of our fun together was just a dream…"

"Oh…"

"Yeah…" Jakotsu reached out, and picking up the end of Bankotsu's braid, he nervously played with it. "And before you ask, no, I don't want to go back there. I like being with you, I really do, but…" he trailed off helplessly, waving a hand around as he tried to put his emotions into words. "But it scares me, and I know I would die if anything happened to you…"

Bankotsu laughed. "You think I always knew how to be on my own?"

The cross-dresser nodded in reply.

"Well, I had to learn how all by myself and it wasn't always easy. I still get homesick…" the fourteen year old said softly. He suddenly felt overwhelmed with emotion.

"Hmmm… I know I don't know what it's like to have a family cuz I never really had one that I can remember, but what if we made a family of own?" Jakotsu said, hoping to lift the younger boy's spirits.

"Yeah?"

The cross-dresser smiled. "Yeah! It'll be fun, you'll see!" he said, his negative emotions dissipating like dew on a summer's morning.

"Okay!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #6 fire  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part one: Falling in love…

6. Fire…

Jakotsu's enthusiasm was like a fire, rapidly consuming both their loneliness as they plotted their future. Now that they were a family of sorts, Bankotsu decided the time had come for him to start teaching the older boy how to handle a sword. Amid the laughter and giggles about playing with "swords," the fourteen year old made plans to find someone in the village, who could make the cross-dresser a wooden practice sword. That led to talk of youkai hunting.

"That's really scary good fun, Sweetness! And once you know how to use a sword, you can help me!"

"You think I'll ever be good enough to?" the seventeen year old asked as visions of youkai danced in his head.

"Yeah! We'll get you something lightweight when you're ready and some armor too! Then you can come and help me!"

"I can't wait! I promise to work really hard, Aniki-chan, so you'll proud of me!"

"I know you will." Bankotsu grinned.

The older boy nodded. "I'm glad we're a family now."

"Me too…"

Jakotsu giggled. "Wanna nookie?"

"I thought you didn't want to," the fourteen year old pointed out.

"That was before…" The older boy giggled again. "Now I do," he said saucily. He lay down on his side, and propping his head up on his upturned hand, he stroked himself. "I'll do all work if you want…" he said huskily as he continued moving his hand up down the length of his shaft.

The younger boy watched, amazed by the seventeen year old's lack of inhibitions. Despite being comfortable enough in Jakotsu's presence to be naked as well as nookie with him, the younger boy was still shy about certain things. Touching himself intimately was one of them.

Jakotsu, noticing Bankotsu's surreptitious glances, smiled inwardly. _You like it, hunh…?_


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #11 peek  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part one: Falling in love…

7. Peek…

The seventeen year old stopped playing with himself just long enough to lie down on his back. His hairpin had fallen out as he made himself comfortable, the dark coil of hair peeking out from under his head like his namesake, the snake, from under a rock. While Bankotsu pretended to look elsewhere, Jakotsu slowly ran his hand down his naked torso. Closing his eyes, he moaned softly as his finger tips brushed against the sensitive tip of his swollen member. With a delicate touch, he held it, resuming his stroking.

Bankotsu had a fair idea of what the older boy was doing; judging from the rustling sounds his new kimono made as he stroked himself. He wanted to watch, but the act seemed far too intimate for an audience, however welcome. The fourteen year old chanced a quick peek, confirming his suspicions. Looking away, Bankotsu felt his cheeks heating up.

Jakotsu bit his lower lip to keep his giggling at bay. He found it highly amusing that the younger boy was doing his best to look while not appearing to be doing so. But the cross-dresser also found it pleasurable enough to continue. He thought of it as a little pillow game and he hoped that one day the younger boy would be willing to switch roles and let Jakotsu play at not peeking. Heaving a heavy moan-laden sigh, the cross-dresser felt himself nearing his climax.

The fourteen year old's head whipped around at the sound. He stared wide-eyed at the older boy and he felt a certain part of his anatomy twitching. Jakotsu looked so wantonly enticing with his hips up off the floor, eyes closed and head thrown back. And he made the most delicious low throaty sounds too. A sharp intake of breath and Jakotsu climaxed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #8 lazy  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part one: Falling in love…

8. Lazy…

Jakotsu lay there, feeling lazy as he basked in the glow of his sexual high. He loved watching the younger boy as Bankotsu tried to figure out what to do next. The former bathhouse whore could see he wanted to strip down and pounce, but something seemed to be holding him back and the seventeen year old idly wondered what it was. Then it hit him. Apparently Bankotsu found his spent lust disturbing. Chuckling softly, Jakotsu scooped up his rapidly cooling sperm with his fingertips. Bringing his fingers to his lips, he licked them clean. The look on the younger boy's face was priceless.

Bankotsu watched in a state of horrified fascination. Mouth hanging open, he blinked a few times as his mind warred with itself over whether or not to be disgusted by the former whore's behavior. He swallowed.

The cross-dresser, quirking a delicate eyebrow at him, licked his finger clean. "Wanna taste?" he purred. Scooping up some of the white globules on his fingertips, he held his hand out to Bankotsu.

Even though he knew what spent lust tasted like, there was something about licking it off the older boy's fingers, like it was some kind of delicacy that turned his stomach. "Eww…" he said as a look of disgust settled on his features.

"Okay… suit yourself," Jakotsu languidly replied.

The younger boy got up and after a few minutes search of the room, he returned with the piece of cotton Jakotsu had taken from the inn's bathhouse to dry his hair with the night before. Balling it up, he threw it at the cross-dresser. "Lazy ass."

Jakotsu laughed. Taking the cloth, and wiping himself clean, he tossed it aside. "Happy now?"

"Yeah…"

"Good. Now come're and lie with me and let's be lazy together…"

Bankotsu nodded. "Okay…"


	9. Chapter 9

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #9 awake  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part one: Falling in love…

9. Awake…

Jakotsu lay awake in the futon while Bankotsu curled up next him and slept. They had spent the evening nookying and the cross-dresser was sore, yet happy. For the first time in his life he felt loved and he wanted to savor the moment for as long as he could. Rolling onto his side, the cross-dresser spooned in behind the younger boy. Carefully putting his arm around him so as not wake the younger boy, Jakotsu held him close.

Bankotsu stirred slightly in his sleep and the older boy froze, fearful that he had awakened him. He settled down, snoring softly, and Jakotsu breathed a sigh of relief. As tempting as it was to fondle the younger boy's crotch, the seventeen year old restrained himself. He let his thoughts drift to the fun they had had earlier, both in their room and in the inn's bathhouse. Jakotsu rubbed up against Bankotsu's bare bottom, silently giggling, while the fourteen year old slept through it. The cross-dresser had teased the younger boy about taking him anally, while they played in the bathhouse. Every time he recalled the look of horror on Bankotsu's face, he got the giggles.

Jakotsu knew he would never do it as it felt wrong, not to mention he enjoyed having the younger boy inside him. Despite his inexperience, Bankotsu was a caring lover and a quick study, so things were pleasurable more often than not. And as he lay awake thinking about it, the cross-dresser was fortunate to have him as a friend as well as lover.

Bankotsu murmured the older boy's name as he slept and the seventeen year old wondered what he was dreaming about. Jakotsu kissed his shoulder, nuzzling the soft skin with his nose. Jakotsu could not sleep; this dream might end if he did.


	10. Chapter 10

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #7 bloom  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part two: Love hurts…

10. Bloom…

Love blossomed in Jakotsu's heart for the younger boy, although it was tinged with a mix of jealousy and fear. He was jealous of the girls that caught Bankotsu's eye and afraid that the younger boy would leave him for one. It was all the seventeen year old could do to keep his emotions in check. Luckily he was able to channel his frustrations into learning how to wield the wooden sword Bankotsu got him. By picturing a girl instead of his beloved little dumpling, he was able use it like he meant it. Having the fourteen year old praise his efforts also helped.

As the days turned to weeks and the weeks into months, Jakotsu was beginning to shape up as a swordsman. While he would never be truly great at it, having lacked an early exposure to swordplay, Bankotsu was pleased to see he could get by enough to stay alive if things got tough. The time had come in the fourteen year old's humble opinion to get him a real sword. That was until Jakotsu had made the mistake of losing his temper while sparring.

The cross-dresser was already mad about the younger boy's showing off in front of a couple of village girls. He flew into a rage when Bankotsu knocked the sword from his hand, pushing the girls roughly aside as they tried to commiserate with him over it as he stormed off. The seventeen year old's temper tantrum aside, the younger boy had to admit a simple sword was not long enough to keep him safe. Jakotsu needed a weapon more along the lines of Bankotsu's Banryuu, but he simply lacked the strength to pick it up let alone wield it. That's when it hit him, and an idea slowly blossomed in Bankotsu's head…


	11. Chapter 11

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #A moody  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part two: Love hurts…

11. Moody…

Bankotsu found his paramour, staring sullenly at the ground, pouting, with his hands shoved in his sleeves. "I think you lost this…" he said, holding out Jakotsu's katana for him to take.

The cross-dresser looked up at him and said nothing.

"Come on, Sweetness, take it, it's yours."

Jakotsu looked away.

"Fine! Don't take it! In fact, you can just forget it!" the fourteen year old huffed. Dropping the sword at his paramour's feet, he spun neatly on his heel and stalked off.

That got the cross-dresser's attention. Picking up the sword, he sheathed it as he scrambled to his feet. Hurrying after his young lover, he called out, "Wait! Aniki-chan!"

Bankotsu pretended not hear him. He was getting tired of Jakotsu's petty jealousy and moodiness every time he looked twice at a girl or spoke to one. Girls were nice in the fourteen year old's humble opinion and he could not for the life of him figure out why the cross-dresser hated them so much.

Fear lent speed to the older boy's feet and he was soon walking abreast of him. "Aniki-chan…?"

Bankotsu refused to acknowledge his presence.

"I'm sorry! It's a great sword! And it's special to me because you gave it to me!! Aniki-chan?! Look at me!!"

The younger boy suddenly stopped. Jakotsu took several steps, before he also halted, and turning around, he walked over to the fourteen year old.

"I'm sorry, Aniki-chan… I promise I'll never do it again."

Bankotsu stared him sullenly. _You can take that promise and shove it up your ass… although, you'd probably enjoy that!_

"It was stupid of me…" Jakotsu said forlornly, his eyes welling up with tears.

The younger heaved a long suffering sigh.

"I'm sorry…"

"Fine…" Bankotsu grinned. "You've got more pissy moods than my sisters."

"Yeah?"

"Yup!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #14 conquest  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part two: Love hurts…

12. Conquest…

"I'm being stupid, hunh?" Jakotsu said sheepishly.

"Not stupid, a lil silly maybe… but definitely not stupid, Sweetness," Bankotsu assured him. "But you need to conquer your temper. I'm dead serious. Getting angry in the heat of a battle is a sure way to get yourself killed. And I, umm…" the fourteen year old trailed off. He looked away but not quickly enough as Jakotsu caught a glimpse of his cheeks heating up.

"What?" the cross-dresser teased.

"Nothing…"

"Nothing? It doesn't look like 'nothing' to me," the older boy playfully insisted.

"Jakotsu!"

"What?"

Bankotsu heaved a long suffering sigh. "I like you, okay!"

The seventeen year old's smirk softened into a smile. "I like you too, Aniki-chan."

"Yeah? Well why do you flirt with other guys?"

"Why do you flirt with girls?" Jakotsu said tartly.

"Yeah, well uh…" Bankotsu sputtered.

"Hurts, doesn't it?"

"Yeah…" The younger boy sat down in the grass, flopping onto his back to stare up at the cloud-filled sky.

Jakotsu joined him. "I guess we need to conquer our flirting along with my temper…"

"Yeah… Just as long as we don't ummm…"

"Stop flirting with each other," the cross-dresser finished for him.

"Yup! Now shut up and kiss me, Sweetness!" Bankotsu teased. He laughed when Jakotsu's face filled his vision as the older boy leaned over to kiss him. Snaking his arms around the cross-dresser, he pulled him close.

Jakotsu kissed him long and hard, preferring this form of swordplay to the more tiring and body aching kind they had been engaged in before. Breaking the kiss, he giggled when his young lover ran his hand up the cross-dresser's bare thigh to cup his bottom. He ground his hips against his lover's. Giggling happily, Bankotsu held him tightly as he rolled them both over. They kissed…


	13. Chapter 13

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #3 stray  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part two: Love hurts…

13. Stray…

A few days later, while Bankotsu was away looking for work, Jakotsu amused himself by playing with a stray cat. He was soft tawny gold with black paws and ears like one of the fabled cats from the far away kingdom of Siam. The only thing that worried the cross-dresser about him was the fact that the cat had two tails like a nekomata and might want to do him harm. But he seemed friendly enough, purring as he rubbed against his legs to get attention. He also playfully batted at a tuft of grass Jakotsu's held just out of his reach like any other self-respecting cat would.

"Neko-chan?"

"Mew."

"Would you like to stay here with me, if Aniki-chan says you can?"

The little cat looked up at him questioningly. "Mew?"

"Is that a 'yes'?" Jakotsu reached for the cat and picked it. He rubbed the side of his face against his new little friend's and the cat purred. Giggling, the cross-dresser said to him, "I'm going to call you, 'Soba-chan.' You like it?"

"Mew."

"I knew it!" The cross-dresser cuddled the cat. He could not wait for Bankotsu to get back so that he could show him his new little friend. Even though the younger boy had told him that he could not have a cat until they settled down somewhere permanently, Jakotsu was sure once Bankotsu returned and saw him, he would be allowed to keep Soba. They continued to play in warm afternoon sunshine until all of a sudden the little nekomata stiffened.

"Mew?"

"What's the matter, Soba-chan?" Jakotsu asked, afraid the little cat was getting sick.

Giving the boy one last look, Soba mewed again, before taking off towards the woods that bordered the edge of the inn's property.

"Wait! Soba-chan!" Jakotsu hurried after him…


	14. Chapter 14

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #5 wary  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part two: Love hurts…

14. Wary…

"Gotchya!" Jakotsu cried as he picked up the little cat. Straightening up, he came face to face with a young woman.

"Aah… there you are, Menou," she said.

The little cat struggled in Jakotsu's arms and he dropped him. "Sorry, Soba-chan," he said as he bent to pick him up.

The woman picked the cat up, where he moved to perch on her shoulder. Smiling, she said, "Thank you for finding him." She reached up to scratch behind his ear. "Are you Bankotsu-san?"

"No… and you're welcome," the cross-dresser said sadly. "What do you want with him?" He eyed her warily. He could see she carried herself with the same poise his young lover did and judging by her clothes, he figured she had to be a warrior of some sort. "You a ninja?"

The woman snorted in amusement. "No. And to answer your question, I was sent to find him and let him know 'it' was ready and that he should come to my village and pick it up."

Jakotsu frowned. "What's ready?"

"That, my friend, is none of your concern."

"Oh yeah?" he said cockily, although he regretted his brashness the minute the words left his mouth. Not only was unarmed, having stupidly left his sword in the inn, but he knew he was no match for her, despite her being a woman. Plus her stance went from friendly, to alert for trouble.

Just before things could escalate out of control, Bankotsu arrived. "Everything okay, Jakotsu?"

He turned to face him. "I think so…"

"Are you Bankotsu-san?" the woman asked.

"Yes…?"

"Hisui-sama, said to tell you 'it' was ready."

"Oh good."

"I thought you would be pleased." She smiled. "Good day then." And without another word, she turned to go.

"Well?" Jakotsu looked at Bankotsu.

"Your gift's ready."


	15. Chapter 15

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #B gift  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi, with shouta overtones  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part two: Love hurts…

15. Gift…

Jakotsu lay on the futon, wearing only his armor and fundoshi. It was the mysterious gift Bankotsu had hinted at lately, and he enjoyed the feel of the youkai snakeskin against his torso and hand. The cross-dresser also liked how the strong protective magic it was imbued with made him powerful. He smiled impishly at the impatient look on his young lover's face. "Don't you like how I look in it, Aniki-chan?"

"Yeah," Bankotsu said dryly, "but I also like the way you look out of it. Besides, I thought you wanted give me some thank-you-very-much nookie."

"You know you're almost as cute as me when you pout," the cross-dresser cheekily replied.

"Jakotsu!"

"Okay, okay," the older boy said airily as he moved to comply.

Bankotsu took that as his cue to help him. Sitting behind his paramour, he loosened the ties as Jakotsu removed his arm guard and tossed it aside. Leaning forward, the younger boy kissed the nape of the cross-dresser's neck.

Jakotsu froze. He hated it whenever Bankotsu would kiss him like that as it reminded him of his days as a bathhouse whore. But his love for the younger boy made him push those dark thoughts aside. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled seductively at him.

It was not long before they were both naked. Jakotsu slid down his young lover's body leaving a trail of butterfly soft kisses. Lower and lower he went until he reached his yummies. Jakotsu loved the musky scent and the salty tang of his lover's burgeoning erection as he suckled it. Bankotsu moaned softly under his paramour's touch. The older boy was giving it his all and it was not long before the younger boy reached the point of no return and climaxed.

"That's my lil gift to you, Aniki-chan…"


	16. Chapter 16

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #13 deep  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Precanon, romance  
**Warnings:** character death  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part three: Everlasting love…

16. Deep…

The severity of Renkotsu's betrayal cut deep. Bankotsu clutched Jakotsu's hairpin tightly in his fist, willing himself not to cry. His beloved paramour had been reduced to a pile of dust and bones again, forever lost to him within the bowels of Mount Hakurei. Slipping the hairpin into the top of his kimono, Bankotsu hefted his Banryuu and headed towards the mountain's interior.

It did not take him long to get there, his grief lending speed to his feet. There, deep within the interior of the mountain, he spotted Inuyasha. Bankotsu found it hard to control his anger at the sight of the hanyou. The urge to kill him and avenge Jakotsu's senseless death was strong and it made the normally level headed warrior reckless.

Inuyasha was proving much harder to defeat than Bankotsu thought possible._ Poor Jakotsu never stood a chance…_A brief moment of pain at his loss flashed across his face. _I swear I will kill him, Sweetness! And then I'll take his ears for you…_

They battled long and hard, neither side giving quarter. Just when it looked like Bankotsu would get his revenge, he saw the ghostly image of Jakotsu. The undead mercenary blinked and he was gone. Finding new strength, he beat Inuyasha back, gaining the ground he had lost while monetarily distracted. They stood there, posturing, and trading insults while willing the other to just give up and die.

Bankotsu saw the ghostly image of his paramour again. Jakotsu smiled, blowing a kiss his way. He seemed to be calling the undead mercenary, although Bankotsu could not hear anything other than the sound of two people battling to the death. Frowning, Bankotsu faltered and the hanyou pressed home his attack. Mortally wounded, Bankotsu reached out for his beloved Jakotsu before his world went black…


	17. Chapter 17

**Title:** Tales of love  
**Pairing:** Bankotsu, Jakotsu  
**List and Prompt (# and Theme):**Creamy, #15 wildcard (rebirth)  
**Rating:** M  
**Universe/Genre:** Modern AU, romance  
**Warnings:** yaoi  
**Author's Note:** Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for looking this over for me.

888

Part three: Everlasting love…

17. Rebirth…

Bankotsu, unable to sleep, rolled onto his side and looked at his life-partner. Jakotsu looked even more feminine asleep, if that was possible, than he did awake, and the forty four year old wondered if he had been a woman in his previous life. That got him thinking back to when they had met and how drawn he was to the pretty cross-dresser. It was like they were made for each other.

Jakotsu sighed softly in his sleep and Bankotsu wondered if he was dreaming about the movie shoot. They had been having a lot fun as extras in a period piece in which they had played a couple of samurai. Despite the long hours and the tedium, it had turned out to be a fun week of getting to experience what his life-partner did for a living.

As he lay there, Bankotsu's thoughts turned back to the idea of previous lives and if they had known each other before. It felt like they had always known each other. The forty four year old reached out to gently caress his sleeping life-partner's cheek. Jakotsu stirred in his sleep, his eyes fluttering open.

"Ban honey?" he said softly.

"I can't sleep."

"Oh…" the cross-dresser yawned.

"I feel like we knew each other in a previous life."

"Yeah?" Jakotsu's raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you sure it's not the takoyaki and Kirins keeping you awake?"

Bankotsu rolled his eyes. "Yeah… We just seem so perfect for each other, Sweetness, even though we have the odd fight about nonsense, and we spend time away from each other, I still feel like you'll always be there for me. Like we'll grow old together…"

"Yeah?"

"Silly, hunh?"

"Nope, I feel the same way… Now let's get some sleep."

Bankotsu kissed him. "G'night, Sweetness…"

"G'night…"


End file.
